The Marriage Beat Read online

  The enormity of her loss was just beginning to make itself known. Her bank accounts were probably empty by now, which meant bounced checks, embarrassing explanations, more endless forms and phone calls. She glared at Tyler Jackson as if it were all his fault. “I just don’t think you fully understand what it means to lose all your identification, not to mention a sizeable chunk of your finances.”

  “I understand that you’re upset, but unfortunately once in a while stuff happens. Don’t you have any family who can help you out for the time being?”

  “My mother lives on the other side of town and has her own problems. I’m not going to burden her with mine.”

  “Well, you’re lucky. Lots of people don’t have that much.”

  Including him, she guessed, sensing the bitterness behind that comment. He looked down at his notepad and gave his head a slight shake, as if disturbed by his own words. “I’ll get the mug shots,” he said, and pushed his chair back.

  Megan sent another harried glance at the clock. “What are my chances of finding him in there?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe one in fifty.”

  “That’s what I figured.” She stood up, feeling empty-handed without her purse to hang onto. “I’m sorry I wasted your time.”

  His mouth tightened. “I’m sorry, too. I’d be a little more careful in future, if I were you. If you hadn’t been walking around the city streets with your purse hanging conveniently over your shoulder, the snatcher might not have had such an easy time of grabbing it.”

  Annoyed with his condescending tone she said hotly, “Maybe if there were more cops on the streets these things wouldn’t happen.”

  Officer Jackson leaned forward, with a menacing expression that made Megan glad she wasn’t on the wrong side of the law. “This might be a safe city by most standards, but it’s got its share of deadbeats waiting for a handout. They’re just looking for someone like you to come along and make it easy for them.”

  “Well, I think there’s something wrong with a city when you can’t walk around without fear of being attacked by some vicious thug.”

  “There’s a lot wrong with the world today, Ms. Summers. Which is hardly the fault of law officers. We do our best. I would suggest, however, since you seem intent on putting your life on the line, that you get your locks changed. Just in case. You might also want to take self-defense lessons. The police force offers a course every eight weeks. They could give you the edge you just might need some day.”

  She opened her mouth to give him a sharp answer, but then closed it again. That might not be such a bad idea. She thought about it for a moment or two. “All right, where do I sign up?”

  He seemed taken aback by her question. He looked at her blankly for a moment, then glanced up at a calendar hanging on the wall next to him. “I guess you’ll have to wait until the fall. The class is full right now.”

  “Jackson? A word with you, please?”

  The command had come from the beefy cop by the door. Tyler looked over at him, and gave him a brief nod. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Megan. “There are a couple of things I need you to sign before you leave.”

  Exasperated by yet another delay, Megan watched the two men disappear out of the door. She was beginning to feel that she would never get out of that room. The picture on the wall caught her eye again and she edged around the desk to get a closer look at it.

  It was a photo of Tyler Jackson receiving a citation for bravery in the line of duty. It had been taken several years ago, judging from the image of a much younger officer smiling at his superior. She had actually begun to doubt that the man could smile. He looked quite different in the picture...more carefree, and undeniably attractive without that permanent scowl on his face.

  According to the certificates on the wall, Tyler had put his life on the line more than once. In spite of her irritation with him, Megan couldn’t help admiring the tight-lipped cop. She’d always had a weakness for strong, dependable men, though she hadn’t met too many of them as yet.

  There was no doubt that Tyler Jackson was a forceful, courageous man, and she just wished she knew what had changed him from that agreeable young man in the picture to the morose, cynical cop he was today.

  In fact, she thought, as she took her seat at the desk once more, if he hadn’t had that annoying habit of ordering her around as if she were a teenager instead of a mature woman approaching thirty, she might be tempted to find out.

  Captain Richard Stewart had always taken a personal interest in his men. It was the captain’s firm opinion that a good cop needed a happy, stable home life in order to do his job. It was also his considered opinion that Tyler Jackson’s home life fell far short of the ideal.

  As far as Richard Stewart was aware, Tyler lived alone in a tiny studio apartment, ate mostly junk food and looked as if he could use more sleep. He rarely smiled, and the captain had never heard him joke with the rest of the guys. In other words, Tyler Jackson’s life was the pits, and Captain Stewart was very much afraid that one day that pitiful state of affairs might just cause a loss of concentration and cost Tyler his life.

  What Officer Jackson needed, Captain Stewart decided, was a good woman. Someone who would be strong enough to stand up to the man and make him take better care of himself. The captain had no idea if Megan Summers was that woman, but she certainly seemed to be a nice lady and undoubtedly strong-willed. After watching the two of them together, there was absolutely no doubt in the captain’s mind about the spark that seemed to sizzle between the two of them.

  Therefore, being the responsible captain that he was, Richard Stewart decided to take a hand in fate, so to speak, and give these two nice people a gentle nudge in the right direction. Which was why he’d called Tyler Jackson into his office.

  Tyler, who was still trying to get his cool back after dealing with the argumentative Megan Summers, eyed his superior officer warily as he sat down in front of the desk. It wasn’t often that he was called into the captain’s office. He was trying to think of how he might have messed up.

  “Jackson,” Richard Stewart said, folding his hands across his protruding stomach, “I understand that young lady out there wishes to take lessons in self-defense.”

  Tyler nodded, wondering where this surprising statement was leading. “I told her the classes were full.”

  “So I heard.” The captain leaned back in his chair and surveyed the ceiling. “She seems like a very independent young woman.”

  Tyler twisted his mouth in a wry grimace before answering, “Yes, sir. Very.”

  “In which case, I think she might well benefit from the lessons. Independent women have a habit of running into trouble.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Tyler muttered. “I suggested she take the classes in the fall.”

  “Ah.” Captain Stewart appeared to think that over. “In this case, Jackson, I think it might be wise to make special arrangements for that young lady.”

  Tyler frowned, watching his captain with growing suspicion. “What kind of special arrangements?”

  The captain lowered his chin and leaned forward. Fixing his piercing gaze on Tyler’s face, he said clearly, “I think she should have the lessons now.”

  Tyler stared at him in bewilderment. “But the classes are full. Plus they’ve already started. It would throw the instructor off if Ms. Summers came in at this late date.”

  “Exactly, which is why I think she should have private lessons.”

  “Private lessons? But—”

  “And you should give them to her.”

  Tyler’s feet hit the floor as he bounced off his chair. “What? Why me? Are you nuts?”

  The captain’s eyes narrowed and Tyler hastily added, “Sir?”

  “I’m not nuts, as you so succinctly put it,” Stewart said mildly. “I happen to think that young lady would be a great deal safer if she knew how to protect herself in an emergency.”

  “No doubt, but surely it can wait until the fall?”

&n
bsp; “I don’t think so.”

  Tyler had the distinct impression that something was brewing behind the captain’s stern expression, but he couldn’t for the life of him think what it might be. He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Captain. I’d like to oblige, but my quota is full. I don’t have time to give self-defense lessons to anyone right now. Maybe later on....”

  Captain Stewart could look almost murderous at times. This was one of those times.

  “I said now, Jackson. I suggest you find time.”

  Tyler made one last, desperate attempt. “But—”

  “And that’s an order.”

  Tyler clamped his lips tight shut before the curse slipped out. He waited a second or two, then muttered a quiet, “Yes, sir,” before turning on his heel to head for the door.

  “Jackson.”

  Tyler waited, his hand on the doorknob.

  “This week, Jackson. No later.”

  This time Tyler’s muttered, “Yes, sir,” was delivered through gritted teeth. On his way out he shut the door with a decisive thud. The old man was losing his marbles. Private lessons in self-defense? Where in the hell was he going to find the time? Who the hell wanted to spend what little spare time he had wrestling with a smart-mouthed woman who looked as if she’d break in two if he so much as touched her?

  The thought of having to throw Megan Summers down on the floor was bad enough. The idea of teaching Megan Summers to throw him down on the floor was intolerable.

  What was really intolerable, Tyler reluctantly admitted as he strode grimly back to the office, was that for a brief instant, when Megan Summers was scrambling to climb off him earlier, he had felt a distinct response in a place that hadn’t had a whole lot of action lately.

  Now he knew where trouble number three was coming from. That, as far as Tyler was concerned, was the worst trouble of alL If he had to spend the next six to eight weeks wrestling with a woman who could turn him on that easily, he was heading for total disaster.

  Inside the office, Megan looked up expectantly as the door swung open. Officer Jackson walked in, looking as if he would like to mow down everyone in his path. Obviously the news had not been good. She wisely decided to keep a still tongue as he sat down heavily at the desk.

  He stared down at the notepad for so long she wondered uneasily if the bad news was connected to her encounter with the purse snatcher. She was about to ask him when he tore a sheet from the notepad, and looked up with a formidable expression that made her forget what she was going to ask.

  “Read this over and sign here,” he said curtly, flipping the page across the desk.

  She scanned the lines without comprehending what she was reading. She knew he was watching her, with a strange brooding expression that stirred up all kinds of unrest inside her. Her hand shook slightly as she picked up the pen he’d pushed across to her. Quickly she scrawled her signature and thrust the paper back at him. “Now am I free to go?”

  “In just a moment.” He stared down at the page in his hand as if he’d never seen it before.

  He was making her nervous. Something was obviously bothering him and somehow she just knew it had something to do with her. She couldn’t just sit there and wait all afternoon for him to tell her what it was.

  “Officer Jackson—”

  “Ms. Summers—”

  They’d both spoken at once, and Megan waited, holding her breath.

  “Ms. Summers,” Tyler Jackson said, a little more quietly, “I have been authorized to offer you private lessons in self-defense. Starting immediately.”

  Of all the things she’d been expecting him to say, it certainly wasn’t that. She stared at him, forgetting to close her mouth.

  Tyler gave her a look filled with desperation. “Of course, you are quite at liberty to refuse—”

  She said the first thing that came into her head. “Who will be giving the lessons?”

  She knew by his hunted expression what the answer would be long before he blurted out, “I’ve been appointed your instructor.”

  Obviously under protest. She sat back, thinking furiously. She had no idea who had instigated this turn of events or why, but her first instinct was to refuse. Much as she would like to have the security of knowing how to protect herself, the mere thought of wrestling on a mat with the imposing, antagonistic cop was enough to turn her insides to jelly.

  The fact that she felt a distinct thrill at the prospect only intensified the problem. She didn’t need any more complications in her life right now.

  On the other hand, living alone did have distinct disadvantages. One of them was the feeling of vulnerability, brought home even more potently by Tyler Jackson’s observations on the criminal element in Portland. It was a feeling that did not sit well with Megan.

  “I accept,” she said, before she could change her mind and chicken out.

  Officer Jackson looked as if he were about to throw up. “Do you know Captain Stewart personally, by any chance?” he asked, his voice a little hoarse.

  “No. Not that I’m aware of, anyway. Why?”

  He shook his head. “Forget it.” He stared at the calendar, looked back at her, then back at the calendar again. “How does Thursday night sit with you?”

  “Thursday night’s just fine. Where?”

  “The gym.” He scribbled down an address on a small yellow notepad. “Can you make it by six? We’ll have an hour before the volleyball team takes over.”

  “I’ll be there.” She took the note and glanced at it. “Thank you, Officer Jackson.”

  He passed a hand across his brow, sweeping back his hair. “Look...Megan, it will make things a lot easier if you just call me Tyler.”

  He’d called her Megan earlier, she remembered. Then he’d changed it to Ms. Summers. Now he was back to calling her Megan again. She liked that a whole lot better. “Thank you, Tyler. You’ll let me know if you find my purse?”

  He started, as if he’d forgotten why she was there in the first place. “Of course. Though I wouldn’t hold out too much hope if I were you. We rarely recover snatched purses, and even if we do, they are generally empty.”

  He was just a little ray of sunshine, Megan thought, as she walked out of the office and down the hallway to the main doors. Whatever happened to positive thinking? But then, being a cop in today’s violent world probably didn’t allow much room for positive thoughts. More than likely, Tyler Jackson was just too busy trying to stay alive.

  She walked slowly back along the six blocks to her office, aware that particular thought bothered her a great deal more than it should have. Already she was beginning to have a protective attitude toward him. This was not good.

  She thought about calling him and canceling the lessons. Then she reminded herself that she was a grown woman and well able to take care of herself. If she couldn’t stay indifferent to a surly cop with an attitude, then she wasn’t her mother’s daughter.

  With that thought squarely in mind, she marched back to her office and did her best to forget the steely eyes of Officer Tyler Jackson.

  Chapter Two

  Tyler sat for a long time at his desk after Megan Summers had left, wondering what on earth had possessed his captain to order such a dumb assignment. Maybe he was being punished for something he didn’t know about. More likely Captain Stewart was trying to prove something, though heaven knew what that was.

  Tyler sighed, and slipped the report he’d just filled out into the file. He hadn’t joined the force to give self-defense lessons. In fact, there were some days when he wondered why he’d ever wanted to become a cop. It certainly wasn’t the glamorous, exciting life he’d imagined when he’d first started as a rookie.

  The job had its moments, of course...the feeling of satisfaction of a job well done when he’d seen a criminal locked away. Watching a thug get what he deserved—those were the moments that made his job worthwhile.

  There was also the downside. The innocent people hurt, maimed or killed by a lawbreaker—children on
drugs, wives beaten half to death, families crushed in a car hit by a drunk driver—these were the nightmares that haunted him.

  In comparison, he thought, as he scanned the information Megan Summers had given him, wrestling a defenseless woman to the mat seemed like a picnic. Even so, he wished he’d never mentioned the lessons. A little learning could be dangerous.

  He could just imagine Megan Summers taking on the entire criminal population of Portland if she thought she could overpower them. He’d have to make darn sure she understood that her ability would be limited. He’d have to warn her not to start something she wasn’t sure she could finish.

  Tyler closed the file and dropped it into the out bin. He could understand her frustration, of course. She was a helpless victim, and she wanted to hit back. He knew that feeling very well. He’d watched his own brother struggle with his inadequacies.

  Tyler had fought many a battle for Mason, defending his brother against the ignorant bullies who taunted him. It was Tyler who had been suspended from school for fighting, and it was Tyler who had been grounded for two weeks for blacking both eyes of the kid next door. He’d considered it a small price to pay for the satisfaction of teaching his brother’s tormentors a lesson.

  Tyler shook his head as he got wearily to his feet. That was him, the almighty protector. He’d done it so much for his brother it had become a way of life for him. And it was still getting him into trouble.

  He closed his mind to the vision of a delicate face and beautiful green eyes. Megan Summers’s looks were deceptive. There was nothing fragile about that lady. He was worrying over nothing. Might as well accept the situation and get it over with as quickly as possible.

  He tried to keep that thought firmly in mind as he watched Megan walk across the floor toward him on Thursday evening. She was wearing black tights and a bright pink leotard that hugged her body as close as a second skin. The tiny sleeves left most of her arms bare and the scooped neckline hovered just above the line of decency. The second he saw her he knew he was in deep trouble.